Chiara Dalla Costa

Year of birth: 03.03.1990
Where do you live: originally from Italy, living in Berlin since 7 years
Your education: Architecture, Graphic Design, Illustration
Describe your art in three words: Spirituality, Depth, Connection
Your discipline: Interdisciplinary Artist, at the moment focusing on mixed media
Website | Instagram

Can you share more about the journey that led you to create the Major Arcana Card Deck and how it connects to your personal experiences and spiritual path?

I’ve always felt attracted to mystical things, symbolism and rituals, and I can definitely say that all of these are now integral parts of my everyday life. My first connection with forms of divination happened many years ago when I got in touch with Runes, through a very special book I received as a present. I created my own set of Runes made out of stones collected by the sea, which I still use today. Since that time, I would say my interests have been deeply focused on spiritual practices, combining them with art, which carries a deeply healing power for me.
The exploration of Tarot cards came into my life a bit later, also through a book: The Castle of Crossed Destinies by Italo Calvino. In the story, there is an enchanted castle where no one can speak, and the only way the characters can express themselves is by choosing Tarot cards to tell their stories. I found this idea deeply fascinating and started seeing the cards as a unique and special language that can tell a story and truly speak to us. We just need to know how to ask and be open to listening.
That book sparked something in me: the idea that each Major Arcana card is like its own little world, full of symbols, emotions, and meaning. From that moment on, I started diving deeper, reading everything I could find, researching about their symbolism, and exploring how each card speaks for itself and also in relation to the others. Over time, it became more than just a curiosity. It turned into a spiritual tool, a language, and eventually, a creative calling. For me, it was — and still is — a full immersive journey. Creating my own deck felt like giving birth to something that had lived inside me for a long time.
I am also very curious about how other artists interpret Tarot symbolism. I’m always searching for new decks, and I love when these universal symbols are translated into the unique visual language of the artist. At the moment, my favourite deck is one by the Italian artist Elisa Seitzinger, The Symbolic Soul Tarot. The visual world she creates is deeply inspiring and definitely influencing my work.

The creatures you depict in your artwork seem to carry a strong symbolic energy. How do you decide on the symbolism for each card?

The symbolism in each card is the one contained in the Rider Waite deck. I began with the deck’s traditional symbols and then allowed the creative juices and intuition to freely guide the process. Drawing from this foundation, I gave birth to Tiny Mystic Creatures that embody the essence of each Arcana, integrating my own vision with the timeless archetypes the cards represent.
Each Major Arcana carries a deep lesson, and through my work, I aim to offer the viewer a direct and personal encounter with these universal meanings. For centuries, the cards have served as a tool for divination, a way to explore the present moment and gain insight into the future. Their symbolic power remains just as potent today, and my intention is to show how these ancient techniques continue to resonate in our contemporary world. I want the audience to engage not only with the visual aspect of the cards but also with their inner meanings. Through this interpretation, I hope to invite reflection and spark curiosity about how Tarot can be used as a tool for introspection and daily guidance.
Also, the illustrations were created through pencil sketches followed by ink on paper, without a fixed draft. From time to time, while working directly with the pen, unexpected marks or what I initially saw as “mistakes” would appear. Instead of correcting them, I chose to integrate these moments into the drawing, which often led to the birth of new symbols. Much like life, things rarely unfold exactly as planned — but it is in embracing the unexpected that we begin to understand the full picture. And within that larger picture, everything finds its place, in every moment and in its own time.

Chiara Dalla Costa | The Magician

What was the most challenging part of translating Tarot symbolism into the visual language of your Tiny Mystic Creatures?

To be quite honest, I wouldn’t describe the creation of the Tiny Mystic Creatures Tarot cards as challenging. It felt more like a channelling process! 😉
For me, it felt as though the visual language of the Tiny Mystic Creatures was already a language through which the Major Arcana were speaking to each other. Each card includes the main symbols connected to its archetype, but I also used a visual translation that connects certain cards together. There are recurring artistic choices shared between The Empress and The Emperor, The Sun, The Moon and The Star, or between The Devil and Death.
It is a project that took years to unfold, and maybe it is still unfolding (the entire family of Minor Arcana is still waiting!). When I drew The Fool, the very first one, I never imagined that they would come so fully to life. I followed the traditional order of the deck, beginning with The Fool and ending with The World, which can be read as a symbolic journey through human experience. That is exactly what it felt like to me as I was drawing them — a profound journey of transformation.
Nothing about the process was forced. Each drawing followed its own rhythm. I would spend time reading about the Major Arcana, diving into their meanings, their symbolism, and the archetypes they embody. Only once I felt a connection would I begin to draw. Sometimes this moment arrived after just a weekend, other times it took months. It was not really me deciding the timing. There were times when I completed three cards in two weeks, and others when a single card took three months to emerge.
The only real challenge came when I tried to create from a place that did not feel fully aligned. I could feel it immediately. And in those moments, I knew it was time to pause. I would leave the Tiny Mystic Creature aside, allowing them to work on my subconscious level, and return to them only when the moment felt right again.
If I had to choose one word to describe my approach, it would be curiosity. It reflects not only how I moved through this project, but also how I navigate life. After immersing myself in the story and symbols of each Arcana, I was always curious to see how it would translate onto paper, reimagined through the lens of the Tiny Mystic Creatures.

In your statement, you mention that your creative process is influenced by practices like astrology, art therapy, and shadow work. Could you elaborate on how these elements manifest in your art?

Some time ago, I remember reading a quote: “My art is an extension of who I am.” It stayed in my mind for a long time until it slowly moved down into my heart. I clearly recall the moment I looked at the Tiny Mystic Creatures and truly felt that they are, indeed, an extension of who I am. They shift, evolve, and transform, just as I do. Creating this deck was deeply therapeutic and it unfolded alongside my exploration of divination practices and my ongoing spiritual and personal journey.
I would also love to share what ‘Ritual’ means to me, as it is such a huge part of both my art and my life. For me rituals are acts of presence. They are invitations to pause, to ground, to make space for something beyond the visible. They do not have to be majestic or immersed in clouds of incense. A ritual can be as simple as snapping your fingers when you cross a certain part of the city. It can be showering with the intention of washing away what no longer serves you, sipping your tea in silence, or opening a book to a random page and reading the first sentence that catches your eye. For me, rituals are a way of gently reminding myself that magic exists in everyday moments. They help me connect with something greater, something unseen but deeply felt. These little gestures open a doorway to the invisible worlds and allow me to carry a thread of enchantment through even the most ordinary days.
I also came to realize that creating art is always therapeutic. I truly believe it is healing for all of us, which is why we all need to make more of it. When I let creativity flow through me, something always shifts inside. It’s as if something unspoken is released, something that only I could express in that exact way. That, to me, is incredibly powerful.
Astrology is another deep interest of mine. I find it endlessly fascinating to explore the different layers of the self and dive deeper into understanding who I am. And when you start venturing down deeper and deeper, shedding layers, there necessarily comes a moment when shadow work begins — when you meet the parts of yourself you’ve never seen, the most unpleasant ones. The ones that you need to face and integrate in the way that resonates the most with you. For me one of these ways is making art out of it.
To me it feels like walking through the dark muddy waters of a Black Lake. That is when the Tiny Mystic Creatures appear. They blink at you from the shadows. Sometimes they ask you to listen. Sometimes they guide you somewhere unexpected. And other times, they simply show up to remind you they are still there and they will always be there — quiet companions walking beside you, whispering that you are not alone.

Chiara Dalla Costa | Strength

The “Tiny Mystic Creatures” are described as guides and protectors. How do you personally connect with these creatures and their messages?

The very first Tiny Mystic Creature appeared to me in a dream. It was a long time ago, and at that time the name “Tiny Mystic Creature” had not come to me yet. But thinking about it now, that is exactly what it was. It felt like a vision, with two deep black eyes and a body that seemed to be made of delicate, transparent layers of paper.I woke up with a strong urge to draw it, to bring it onto paper, to make it alive. That first drawing is still sitting next to my bed.
As time went by, the image of the Black Lake began to take shape in my mind. It became clear that this was the place the Tiny Mystic Creatures came from. And then they started to appear more frequently. More and more of them arrived, with many eyes watching me gently from the dark waters, present along my path. Their shapes and appearances change, but the eyes always remain the same.
I am literally talking to them and know they are good spirits. I describe them as guides and protectors, like little friends along the way. I have drawn most of them, sometimes including the words they say. By now, I understand that they are a part of me and in some way…they are me. Then I created the Tiny Mystic Creature Major Arcana deck. I carry it with me, and from time to time, I pick a card to see what they want to tell me.

You mentioned that synchronicities influenced the development of your art. Can you describe a particular synchronicity that guided your artistic journey?

I wouldn’t say there is one specific synchronicity I would highlight, but rather a succession of episodes, events, people I have met, and moments that have led to something else. For me, it is always fundamental to follow my instinct. There have been times when my mind would question, “Why would you do this?” because, from a rational point of view, there was no clear outcome. And yet, by simply showing up, I might meet someone with whom I connect or encounter a hint that gently guides me in a new direction.
Synchronicities tend to appear when we pay attention. And to truly pay attention, we need to be present. We also need to stay curious. Curiosity plays a huge role in my life and is one of the qualities I consider a superpower. When I find myself moving through muddy waters, I sometimes lose that open and non-judgmental perspective. But then I remember the energy of curiosity, and suddenly, everything feels a little more playful. That lightness helps me move through difficult moments with more ease.
I try to maintain a curious mindset when experiences come my way and ask myself what lessons they might hold. When we bring curiosity into our approach to life, the lessons begin to reveal themselves naturally. You might overhear a piece of conversation on the street that resonates with something you needed to hear, or take an unfamiliar path home and witness something small yet magical.
To me, these three qualities — presence, curiosity, and an open heart — are what invite synchronicities into our lives. And at the end of the day, no matter what it may have brought, I try to greet it with gratitude.

Chiara Dalla Costa | The Hermit

How do you approach creating the eyes of the Mystic Creatures, and why do you find them to be such a central part of the drawings?

When I start drawing a Mystic Creature the eyes are always what comes first to the surface. After the first draft where the eyes and the shape are marked, everything is realised directly ink on paper. This technique taught me that there is no wrong line, even when something was not predicted, it was a chance to re-route and follow the direction the Mystic Creature wanted to take. Every ‘mistake’ is going to be integrated in the final drawing. Also, this allowed me to embrace the fact that in the creative process, as in life, you can never go wrong. All is how it is meant to be.
The eyes are the central part of the drawing because it is the only thing that in all the Tiny Mystic Creatures remains the same.
It is the very first part that I draw, and as soon as the eyes are there, the Tiny Mystic Creature is alive. It speaks to me and by drawing the rest, I listen to it. Then comes the shape and the symbolism contained in it, letting the Tiny Mystic Creature emerge from the waters and appearing on the surface of the paper.

Chiara Dalla Costa | Tiny Mystic Tarot